As the Hood River County School District works toward developing a budget for next school year, Superintendent Dan Goldman is “cautiously optimistic” that the district may be in a position to add programs rather than cut.  Goldman’s first two budgets as superintendent have involved cuts, but he believes efficiencies the district has made in recent years are paying off, allowing the buildup of reserves to pay for jumps in Public Employees Retirement System costs, create a five percent reserve fund, and put enough in contingency funds to take care of emergencies.  With those three moves, Goldman says that will take the district through the next biennium, while acknowledging the district is very dependent on the state for its future fiscal health.  The first district budget committee meeting will take place in early May.